The Ace of Spades

About The Ace of Spades

So there’s about 30 cocktails that go by this name that are all completely different. Empire Mixology acknowledges the 1930s version that originated at the NYC club called the Ace of Spades. I mean it sounds like the most original version right? This cocktail packs a wallop and is very spirit forward, however the creme de cacao adds a chocolatey hint of flavor.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Golden Rum

• ½ oz. White Creme de Cacao

• ½ oz. Lime Juice

• ½ tsp. Simple Syrup

• 4 Drops, I said Drops not Dashes of Angostura Bitters (optional)

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4.0 Stars

• Served:      Neat

• Strength:   Strong

• Difficulty:  Simple

• Flavor:       Spirit, but Chocolatey

Method:

In a cocktail shaker, add all of the ingredients and shake until chilled. Strain into martini glass and serve. Optionally you can add four drops, not dashes, of Angostura Bitters. I said drops.

The Flaming Dr. Pepper

About The Flaming Dr. Pepper

Ready to turn up the heat? The infamous Flaming Dr. Pepper is a famous depth charge cocktail due to the flame associated with it. This cocktail has injured countless people so we please remind you that alcohol and playing with fire typically don’t mix; so take precaution and for the love of god don’t hold the shot glass. IF you choose not to drop the shot into beer then you MUST BLOW OUT THE SHOT BEFORE TRYING TO DRINK IT.

Warnings like this exist for a reason people.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Amaretto

• ½ oz. High Proof Rum (flammable)

• 1 Pint of Beer

Cocktail Profile

• Rating: 4 Stars

• Served: Neat

• Strength: Strong

• Difficulty: Medium

• Flavor: Dr. Pepper©

Method:

Layer the two spirits in the shot glass, with the high-proof liquor on top. Light the shot and allow it to burn; then extinguish it by dropping it into the beer glass. Drink immediately.

The Melon Ball

About The Melon Ball

As with most cocktails that involve melon liqueur, the Melon Ball Shot hails from the late 2000s and is as visually pleasing as it is to the tastebuds. A sickly sweet shot, we recommend ordering this one in moderation. An actual melon ball is sometimes used as garnish for this shot as well.

Ingredients:

• ½ oz. Vodka

• ½ oz. Melon Liqueur

• ½ oz. Pineapple Juice

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4 Stars

• Served:      Shooter

• Strength:   Mild

• Difficulty:  Simple

• Flavor:       Sweet

Method:

Shake with ice and strain into shot glass.

The Red Rover

About The Red Rover

The Red Rover is a fun wine cocktail with the body of red wine and the palette of a liquor-based cocktail. This recipe is simple, easy, and overall palette pleasing. The original recipe calls for Shiraz and Navy Rum, but to be a bit more accommodating to different wines we felt that dark rum paired up a bit more nicely.

Ingredients:

• 3 oz. Red Wine

• 1 oz. Dark Rum

• ½ oz. Raspberry Liqueur

• Lemon Slice for Garnish

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4.0 Stars

• Served:      On the Rocks

• Strength:   Strong

• Difficulty:  Simple

• Flavor:       Spirit Forward

Method:

Shake all ingredients with ice gently and strain into ice filled glass.

The American Beauty

About The American Beauty

Another Washington D.C. original cocktail, the American Beauty is an eclectic cocktail creation named after the District’s Official Flower; the American Beauty Rose. This cocktail combines Cognac and Port Wine along with Creme de Menthe. The resulting flavor profile is strong willed, yet smooth as well. Certainly, a sipping drink, the American Beauty is best served in good company.

Ingredients:

• 1½ oz. Cognac

• ¼ oz. Creme de Menthe

• ¼ oz. Port Wine

• ¼ oz. Simple Syrup

• 1 oz. Orange Juice

• ½ oz. Grenadine

• Mint Sprig for garnish

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4.0 Stars

• Served:      Neat

• Strength:   Strong

• Difficulty:  Medium

• Flavor:       Spirit Forward

Method:

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the port and mint. Shake well; strain into a chilled martini glass. Stir in the port. Garnish with the mint.

The Hot Buttered Rum

About The Hot Buttered Rum

The Hot Buttered Rum is a hot rum cocktail that really hits the spot when there’s that cold chill in the air. Although it may seem odd to add butter to a cocktail recipe; it’s definitely a big part of the composition and profile of this cocktail. This recipe dates back to the colonial era, however it experienced a large revival in the 1930s. There are MANY variants to this recipe so do your best to experiment and find that perfect recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Spiced Rum

• 2 oz. Hot Water

• 1 Stick of Butter (unsalted & room temperature)

• ⅔ cup of Dark Brown Sugar

• ½ tsp. of Ground Cinnamon

• ¼ cup of Honey

• ¼ tsp. of Ground Nutmeg

• ⅛ Ground Cloves

• Pinch of Salt

• Cinnamon Sticks (for garnish)

Cocktail Profile

• Rating: 4.5 Stars

• Served: Hot

• Strength: Mild

• Difficulty: Complex

• Flavor: Spiced

Method:

Using a kitchen mixer, beat the brown sugar, butter, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a 4-cup (or larger) measuring cup. Add the rum and then 2 cups of boiling water. Stir until the butter mixture dissolves. Divide the buttered rum among 4 mugs. Garnish with the cinnamon sticks and serve.

The Jade

About The Jade

The Jade is a fun celebratory cocktail combining the fruity flavor of Melon Liqueur and Curacao with a dash of lime juice and Champagne. The presentation of this cocktail is fantastic and lends to its namesake. Make sure to chill the mixture well, as well as use chilled sparkling wine/champagne for the top off.

Ingredients:

• ½ oz. Melon Liqueur

• ½ oz. Blue Curacao

• ½ oz. Lime Juice

• Dash of Angostura Bitters

• Top with Champagne/Sparkling Wine

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4.0 Stars

• Served:      Neat

• Strength:   Mild

• Difficulty:  Medium

• Flavor:       Fruity

Method:

Shake ingredients (without Champagne) with ice until very well chilled. Strain into fluted glass and top with champagne and garnish with lime.

The Red Snapper

About The Red Snapper

The Red Snapper is a popular party shot that features Crown Royal© as the primary spirit. The Amaretto brings the sweet and the cranberry juice brings the bitter/sour. This is an easy shot to make en-mass and is often a crowd pleaser. Bartender beware, you know what happens when drunk people start shooting cranberry though (it tends to come back up).

Ingredients:

• 1 part Crown Royal© Canadian Whiskey

• 1 part Amaretto

• 2 parts Cranberry Juice

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4 Stars

• Served:      Shooter

• Strength:   Mild

• Difficulty:  Simple

• Flavor:       Sweet & Bitter

Method:

Shake with ice and strain into shot glass.

The Screaming Orgasm

About The Screaming Orgasm

And we’re back with another PG named shot! This is honestly a shot for “people who don’t like shots.” The compliment of Amaretto, Irish Cream, and Coffee Liqueur essentially drowns out any thought of the Vodka being too much. Best served chilled.

Ingredients:

• ½ oz. Vodka

• ⅓ oz. Amaretto

• ⅓ oz. Coffee Liqueur

• ⅓ oz. Irish Cream

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4 Stars

• Served:      Shooter

• Strength:   Mild

• Difficulty:  Simple

• Flavor:       Sweet

Method:

Shake with ice and strain into shot glass.

The Barracuda

About The Barracuda

We searched for the origin of this cocktail but we came up empty on this one. Most bartenders agree the drink became popular during the 1970s and may have something to do with the vehicle also named Barracuda being popular at the same time period. Others point to a classical origin for the cocktail so we kinda just threw our hands up on this one. A deceptively strong cocktail utilizing Italian spirits along with Rum; the cocktail makes a great apertif.

Ingredients:

• 1½ oz. Gold Rum

• ⅓ oz. Galliano Liqueur

• 2 oz. Pineapple Juice

• 1 Dash of Lime Juice

• Top with Prosecco/Sparkling Wine

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4.0 Stars

• Served:      Neat

• Strength:   Mild

• Difficulty:  Simple

• Flavor:       Sweet

Method:

Shake ingredients with ice. Strain into glass, top with sparkling wine and serve in a Margarita glass.

The Hot Cinnamon Roll

About The Hot Cinnamon Roll

Meet your new favorite after dinner drink; the Hot Cinnamon Roll. This delicious drink is created by mixing flavored rums and schnapps into coffee. We recommend using a flavored coffee such as cinnamon or even something as basic as pumpkin spice. Make sure to add the whipped cream and cinnamon stick!

Ingredients:

• 1½ oz. Dark Rum

• 1½ oz. Vanilla Rum

• 1½ oz. Caramel Liqueur

• 1½ oz. Cinnamon Schnapps

• 6 oz. Coffee (try to use something cinnamon or spice flavored).'

• Whipped Cream & Cinnamon Stick for garnish.

Cocktail Profile

• Rating: 4.5 Stars

• Served: Hot

• Strength: Strong

• Difficulty: Medium

• Flavor: Cinnamon

Method:

Build ingredients in mug and stir thoroughly until well mixed. Garnish with cinnamon, sugar, whipped cream, and/or cinnamon stick.

The O Bomb

About The O Bomb

The O Bomb is named after its signature spirit; Bacardi Orange Flavored Rum©. Prior to the renaming and relabeling of its product; Bacardi Orange Flavored Rum was known as “Bacardi O”©. This depth charge essentially creates an orange flavored energy drink and can honestly be mixed and sipped instead of bombed (but where is the fun in that?)

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Bacardi Orange Flavored Rum©

• Splash of Orange Juice

• 1 Energy Drink

Cocktail Profile

• Rating: 4 Stars

• Served: Neat

• Strength: Mild

• Difficulty: Simple

• Flavor: Orange Taurine

Method:

Drop the shot glass of Bacardi Orange© and the splash of Orange Juice into a pint glass of the energy drink.

The Barn Burner

About The Barn Burner

When you’re looking for that perfect warm fall cocktail, but you don’t want something like tea or coffee. The Barn Burner is a simple apple cider recipe but it is always a delicious option. We recommend adding something like a cinnamon stick for garnish, or if more decadent; add some maple syrup!

Ingredients:

• 1½ oz. Bourbon Whiskey

• 6 oz. Hot Apple Cider

Cocktail Profile

• Rating: 4.5 Stars

• Served: Hot

• Strength: Light

• Difficulty: Simple

• Flavor: Apple

Method:

Warm cider to desired drinking temperature. Pour cider into a large mug and add bourbon liqueur. Garnish with a cinnamon stick if desired.

The Jelly Bean

About The Jelly Bean

The Jelly Bean is a bit more complicated than most of our shots due to the layering of the spirits. This shot is a crowd-pleaser but is a pain when ordered as a round for those of us behind the bar. If you don’t like black licorice, stay away from this shot as the flavor profile almost overshadows the SoCo and Grenadine.

Ingredients:

• ½ oz. Southern Comfort©

• ½ oz. Sambuca©

• ½ oz. Grenadine

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4 Stars

• Served:      Shooter

• Strength:   Strong

• Difficulty:  Medium

• Flavor:       Sweet

Method:

Pour grenadine first, then layer Sambuca©. Float the Southern Comfort©on top of shot and serve.

The Glitter Bomb

About The Glitter Bomb

We have to give credit to this cocktail to the World Famous TIpsy Bartender. This fun depth charge cocktail combines Goldschläger© and its famous Gold Flakes inside the bottle with an energy drink, making the appearance that there is glitter in the cocktail.

We recommend checking out the Tipsy Bartender and his site for more amazing drinks. Credit Link: https://tipsybartender.com/recipe/glitter-bomb/

Ingredients:

• 1½ oz. Goldschläger©

• 1 Energy Drink

Cocktail Profile

• Rating: 4 Stars

• Served: Neat

• Strength: Mild

• Difficulty: Simple

• Flavor: Cinnamon Taurine

Method:

Drop the shot glass of Goldschläger© into the pint glass containing one energy drink.

The Bacardi Fireside

About The Bacardi Fireside

The Bacardi Fireside is a bone-warming cocktail that is similar to a Hot Toddy in composition, with the notable replacement of whiskey for Bacardi Black Rum. The Bacardi Fireside is a simple recipe, that can be replicated in large amounts to serve many guests. I would recommend a cinnamon stick, lemon, and cloves for garnish to add to the flavor of the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1½ oz. Dark Rum

• 1 Sugar Cube

• Fill Hot Tea

• Cinnamon Stick, Lemon Wheel, and/or Cloves for Garnish

Cocktail Profile

• Rating: 4.5 Stars

• Served: Hot

• Strength: Mild

• Difficulty: Simple

• Flavor: Sweet

Method:

Muddle Rum and sugar cube gently in glass. Pour hot tea and stir gently until dissolved. Garnish with lemon wedge and/or cloves if desired.

The French 75

About The French 75

The French 75 or just the 75 Cocktail if you’re from France, is an early 20th century cocktail created at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, France. The recipe is simple but remains crisp and flavorful. The cocktail was named after a French 75 Field Artillery due to the cocktail having a strong kick of flavor; like the kick of the artillery. This cocktail has been featured in various John Wayne films and others, such as Casablanca.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Gin

• 2 oz. Champagne

• ½ oz. Lemon Juice

• 2 Dashes of Simple Syrup

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4 Stars

• Served:      Neat

• Strength:   Strong

• Difficulty:  Simple

• Flavor:       Spirit Forward

Method:

Combine gin, syrup, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled champagne glass. Top up with Champagne. Stir gently.

The Blowjob

About The Blowjob

Yup. So glad to have the word “blowjob” on www.EmpireMixology.com so that the two pop-up in Google©. Anyway, this is typically served as a “birthday” shot and is popular in younger clubs and college town bars. So you might be asking why is this drink called what it is. Well it’s because the shot has whipped cream on top and…..*looks out window, you can’t use your hands to drink it. Yup, mouth to glass and tip it back.

Ingredients:

• 1 part Amaretto

• 1 part Irish Cream

• Whipped Cream

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4 Stars

• Served:      Shooter

• Strength:   Mild

• Difficulty:  Simple

• Flavor:       Sweet

Method:

Shake and serve with a small twist of whipped cream on top. They have to drink this with, uh…no hands.

The Amaretto Sangria

About The Amaretto Sangria

For those that like a less wine-like flavor in their Sangria, we bring you the Amaretto Sangria. This recipe adds the namesake Italian sweet liqueur to add a different dimension of flavor and a bit of a different punch as well. The addition of citrus fruits like orange and lemon also help to dull the sharp wine taste. The following recipe is designed for a pitcher but can also easily be scaled down to a single cocktail serving.

Ingredients: (makes a pitcher)

• 10 oz. Amaretto Liqueur

• 10 oz. Pinot Noir

• 5 oz. Triple Sec

• 5 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

• 5 oz. Simple Syrup

• 15 oz. Sparkling Water

• Orange Wheels, Lemon Wheels, and Cherries

Cocktail Profile

• Rating:       4.5 Stars

• Served:      On the Rocks

• Strength:   Mild

• Difficulty:  Medium

• Flavor:       Sweet

Method:

Stir all ingredients in a pitcher with ice and cut up fruits. Serve chilled and refrigerate after serving.

The Black Flag

About The Black Flag

The Black Flag is technically a Grog; meaning it consists of Rum and Water mixed together. The tradtional variant of this recipe is made with hot water, then chilled with ice and strained into a cocktail glass over crushed ice; however, I think the mixture works far better as a hot cocktail. In my opinion, the molasses and honey hold the drink together far better when remaining hot. Similar to our American Grog recipe, this cocktail uses Dark Rum and adds in Honey and Molasses instead of straight sugar to add a whole new level of sweetness.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Dark Rum

• ½ oz. Molasses

• 1 tsp. Honey

• Fill Hot Water

Cocktail Profile

• Rating: 4.5 Stars

• Served: Hot

• Strength: Mild

• Difficulty: Simple

• Flavor: Sweet

Method:

Pour ingredients into glass and mix until dissovled. Add a Lemon Wedge with Cloves for garnish if desired.

Variant: Shake with ice and strain into Cocktail Glass with crushed ice for traditional version.